Shoe outsole



March 10Q 1942. n ycs. H@ BINGHAM, JR 2,275,720

sHoE oUTsoLE March 1o, 1942. G, H, BINGHAM, JR f 2,275,720

SHOE OUTSOLE Filed Jan. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED "S'lla'ih PA'EEN T v-QfiiFlCE 2,275,720 vsitos oU'rsoLE George H. Bingham, Jr., Lincoln, Mass., afssignor to Cambridge Rubber Co., Cambridge, Mass., a

corporation of Massachusetts Application January 3, 1941, Serial No. '373,018

3 Claims.

This invention relates to boots, shoes, and other articles of footwear, hereinafter for convenience included generally in the term shoes The invention is more especially concerned with the outsole structure or assembly of a shoe.

It is now the vogue to incorporate in certain styles of shoes a relatively thick and somewhat cumbersome outsole structure, often referred to as a platform sole. In addition to considerations of style and fashion, such outsoles do have certain advantages, particularly that of good insulation. Their chief disadvantage is one of weight.

The present invention deals especially with these considerations, and it aims to devise an outsole structure and a shoe provided with such a structure in which the advantages of the thick types of outsoles will be preserved while at the same time eliminating their disadvantages, especially that of weight.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will ybe particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the two layers of an outsole structure organized in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional View l through the completed outsole;

Fig. 3 is a side view showing a modification;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an outsole of the form illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a shoe of conventional form euipped with an outsole like that shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse, sectional view through the shank of an outsole of the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a slight variation from that illustrated in Fig. 6.

Referring first to Fig. 2, the outsole there shown comprises upper and lower layers 2 and 3, respectively, which may be of any suitable out- Sole stock. In the preferred form of the invention the lower layer 3 consists of a rubber composition of any known or suitable'form having good wear resisting properties, since this is the tread layer and therefore is subjected to direct contact with the ground, sidewalk, or the like. A particularly good material for this purpose is the so-called Vulcork sole which is a rubber composition containing a relatively high proportion, by volume, of granulated cork firmly bonded to the rubber body material. It has good wearing qualities and is relatively light in weight. The upper layer 2 preferably consists also of some rubber composition but contains a high proportion of some vegetable fiber, such as sisal, which can be so combined with the rubber as to form a strong, tough, porous layer having ample flexibility for outsole purposes and adapted to form a secure union with both the tread layer 3 and also with the lasted bottom of a shoe upper.

The rearward ends of these two layers are united in vertically spaced relationship by means of an intermediate heel section 4 which preferably is of the same composition as the tread member 3 and may be integral with it. For manufacturing purposes the part 4 is died out independently of the layer 3 and is simply assembled with it, the two parts adhering to each other because of the adhesive characteristics of the rubber. After vulcanization they form, .in effect, a single integral piece. The intermediate heel section 4, however, preferably extends through only about the rearward half of the length of the heel and is of such height that it holds the layers 2 and 3 apart in the region of the shank, leaving a hollow space or opening 5 between them. In order to reinforce this part of the outsole structure and to support the upper layer in this region, a shank stiffener 6 preferably is secured to the latter layer with the rearward end of the stiifener resting on the part 4 and the forward end on a wear piece 1 of liber 4board or other suitable material which is embedded in the upper surface of the layer 3. The shank stiffener may be of any suitable form, that shown comprising a Vfiber board body a with a steel or other metal strap b secured to it Ias shown in Fig. 1.

In manufacturing this outsole the two layers are died out independently, the intermediate heel piece 4 is adhesively attached to the heel end of the lower layer 3, as shown in Fig. 1, the shank stiener 6 and the wear plate l, if they are vto be used, are cemented to their respective layers, and the upper layer then is superimposed on the lower layer in the relationship thereto illustrated in Fig. 2. Next a rubberized binding, or any other suitable edge covering material, 8, is cemented around the entire edge of the assembly and the upper margin thereof is folded over and l cemented to the upper surface of the layer 2, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The nature of this binding or covering material may be selected to suit the requirements of the style, design or color scheme of the upper.

In this form the outsole assembly goes to the sole laying operation Where an assembled upper, such as that shown at 9 in Fig. 5, is properly positioned on the upper surface of the outsole assembly. Prior to this step the manufacturing operations on the upper usually have been completed, or substantially so, and the lower margins of the upper material have been wiped over and cemented down on the botttom of the insole. All of the rubber parts may at this time be in an unvulcanized condition so that they will readily adhere to each other and the entire bottom of the upper is adhesively secured to the upper surface of the upper layer 2 of the outsole and to the *overlying margins of the binder 8. The parts are pressed rmly together and `remain in this relationship throughout the vulcanizing operation which unites the parts permanently together.

In a shoe of this construction the outsole assembly can be made relatively light in weight, notwithstanding its thickness, .partly because of the light weight of the upper layer 2 and partly, also, because of the hollow space or opening `5. In shoes having higher heels than that illustrated in Fig. 5, the advantage of the space in reducing weight is greatly increased.` For many shoes, also, the tread layer 3 need not be as thick asshown in Fig. 2, andthe length of the intermediate section 4 can be somewhat reduced so as to increase the length of the space 5. This intermediate member, however, should be made long enough to provide ample wearing material at the end of the heel since wear generally occurs more rapidly at this particular point than at any other point in the shoe bottom. v

In addition to these advantages, this construction also affords great latitude of variation for 'purposes of style or design. For example, the

edge binding 8 may be made in a great variety of colors and color combinations so that it forms an important part of the entire shoe design. Also, while it normally closes the ends of the opening 5 at opposite sides of the outsole assembly, these ends can be left open, if desired, or the binding material -may be creased inwardly at these points as illustrated in Fig. 7, or treated in other Ways suited to the tastes of the designer.

Or, one or both of the layers 2 and 3 may be left in their natural form or covered independently, as shown in Fig. 3, and the opening in the shank may be partially filled with a light Weight reinforcing member I0, either solid or hollow,

suitably constructed to perform the functions of a shank stifener. One or both layers may also be hollowed out at localized areas adjacent to their meeting surfaces, as shown at I2, to reduce further the weight of material and, if desired, to

provide an added -cushioning effect. These and various other modications may be made while still utilizing the essential features of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A shoe outsole comprising upper and lower layers of outsole stock, said upper layer comprising a light weight rubber composition including a high percentage of vegetable ller and said bottom layer consisting of a rubber composition having good Wear resisting properties, means connecting the rearward end portions of said layers including an intermediate rubber -composition section substantially integral with the heel end of said bottom layer and cooperating with the latter to provide a thick wear resisting heel section, said means holding said layers so separated as to provide an open space in said outsole assembly and a covering for the edges of said layers closing the ends of said open space.

2. A shoe outsole comprising upper and lower layers of outsole stock, said upper layer comprising a light weight rubber composition including a high percentage of vegetable filler and said bottom layer consisting of a rubber composition having good wear resisting properties, means connecting the rearward end .portions of said layers including an intermediate rubber -composition section substantially integral with the heel end of said bottom layer, said means holding said layers so separated as to provide an open space in said outsole assembly in front of said intermediate section, a shank stiffener bridging said space with its rearward end supported on said intermediate heel section and its forward end supported on said bottom layer, and. a wear :plate on said bottom layer on which the vforward end of said shank stifener rests.

3. A shoe outsole comprising upper and lower layers of outsole stock, said upper layer comprising a light weight rubber composition including a high percentage of Vegetable iiller and said bottom layer consisting of a rubber composition having good wear resisting properties, means connecting the rearward end portions of said layers including an intermediate rubber com-position section substantially integral with the heel end of said bottom layer, said means holding said layers so separated as to provide an open spa-ce in said outsole assembly in front of said intermediate section, a reinforcing shank stiflening member between said layers and bridging said space, and a covering for the edges of said layers closing the ends of said space at opposite sides of the outsole assembly.

GEORGE H. BINGHAM, JR. 

